General election latest: Migration and energy plans key issues of the day - as leaders gear up for first election debate (2024)

Day-to-day care for adults in need, including the elderly and disabled, would be free under a Liberal Democrat government, the party has pledged.

Leader Sir Ed Davey described the issue as "deeply personal for me" as he vowed to place "fixing the care crisis" at the heart of his party's offer to voters.

Provision of care should be based on need rather than ability to pay, the party said, as it promised what it described as free personal care for people either at home or in care homes.

This would cover nursing care, help with mobility, hygiene and medication, it said, adding that people in residential care would still have to contribute towards their accommodation.

The party added that its plan covers social care for those over 18, including working age adults, the elderly, and the disabled.

Sir Ed said: "As a carer for my disabled son, and after caring for my ill mother when I was young, care is deeply personal for me.

"That is why I am putting fixing the care crisis at the heart of the Liberal Democrat offer to the country at this election.

"We cannot fix the crisis facing the NHS without fixing the crisis facing social care."

On 12 June, Sky News will host an election leaders' event in Grimsby - a key marginal seat and one of our Target Towns this election year.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and the Conservative leader Rishi Sunak have been invited to attend, and we are looking for a live audience to join us on the night.

If you would like to be part of this studio audience, and be given the opportunity to ask a question to one of the party leaders, please complete the short questionnaire in this link.

Sir Keir Starmer will promise to "close the door" on Vladimir Putin with his homegrown energy plan - while Rishi Sunak will propose an annual visa cap to try to reduce immigration as election campaigning continues today.

Theprime ministerwill look to win over voters after what was perhaps his toughest day of the campaign so far on Monday - with someConservativesfearingNigel Farage'sdecision to lead Reform could split the Tory vote.

Mr Farage is alsostanding to be an MP in Clactonand will launch his campaign in the Essex constituency today.

A difficult day was made worse for Mr Sunak whena YouGov poll for Sky News suggestedLabour could be on course to win a historic landslide - with the party projected to win a 194-seat majority.

You can read more from Sky News below:

Good morning!

We're in the midst of the second full week of the tooth-and-nail fight for all 650 parliamentary seats - and the keys to Number 10.

Political parties are spreading out across the country to get their message out ahead of polling day on 4 July.

Here's what you need to know as campaigning continues today:

• The first debate of the general election campaign will take place tonight, with Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer going head-to-head on ITV News;
• Ahead of this, the Labour leader will be out and about in the North West of England, where he is expected to make an announcement on energy policy;
• Today, Labour will claim his party's plan to set up a publicly owned clean energy company, GB Energy, will help to protect the UK from spikes in the price of fuel like those that followed Russia's invasion of Ukraine;
• Meanwhile, the prime minister will today propose an annual visa cap to try to reduce immigration;
• But Tuesday could be a difficult day for the Conservatives after news that Nigel Farage is to take over as leader of Reform UK - and fears this decision could split the Tory vote;
• Mr Farage is alsostanding to be an MP in Clactonand will launch his campaign in the Essex constituency today;
  
• And theLiberal Democrats are promising action on an issue described as "deeply personal" for party leader Sir Ed Davey. Under them, day-to-day care for adults in need, including the elderly and disabled, would be free.

We'll be discussing all of this and more with:

• Home Secretary James Cleverly at 7.15am;
• Labour's Pat McFadden at 8.15am;
• Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey at 8.30am.

Stick with us for all the latest political news throughout the day.

We're pausing our live coverage for tonight.

Listen below to the latest Daily Podcast to catch up on the day's events.

Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts

And a new episode of Politics at Jack and Sam's will be live at breakfast time tomorrow.

👉Tap here to follow Politics at Jack at Sam's wherever you get your podcasts👈

By Jennifer Scott, political reporter

The Liberal Democrats will pledge free personal care to "all those who need it" as they make their social care offering on the campaign trail.

Making the announcement on Tuesday, the party will say it would help "end the hospital crisis" by enabling thousands of people ready to be discharged but stuck in hospital beds to get care, as well as help the elderly to "stay in their own homes longer".

The Lib Dems pointed to a report by Age UK that found an estimated 1.6 million people aged 65 and over had unmet care needs, and in April alone, an average of 12,772 hospital beds were being used by people who were ready to be discharged.

Leader Sir Ed Davey said: "As a carer for my disabled son, and after caring for my ill mother when I was young, care is deeply personal for me. That is why I am putting fixing the care crisis at the heart of the Liberal Democrat offer to the country at this election.

"Far too often, family carers are being left to pick up the pieces because the care system simply isn't there for them. Millions of people are going without the care they need, while thousands are stuck in hospital beds instead of being cared for in their own home or a care home.

"We cannot fix the crisis facing the NHS without fixing the crisis facing social care. The Liberal Democrats would bring in free personal care to help people live independently and with dignity, in their own homes wherever possible."

Read the full story below:

The front pages for tomorrow unsurprisingly focus on two things: The return of Nigel Farage as a Westminster candidate, and the polling which suggests a record defeat for the Tories.

Neither of these stories will be welcomed among Rishi Sunak's team.

Sir Keir Starmer could be heading to Downing Street with a majority of 194 seats, bigger than what Tony Blair achieved in 1997, according to the first polling projection by YouGov of the campaign.

The projection shows a historic Labour landslide, with the party getting the highest number of seats of any party at an election in history.

At the same time, the Tories are trying to boost ratings by talking about culture wars while Labour is talking about real wars in terms of what they would do for defence. And Nigel Farage has announced he's standing for Reform UK.

On the Sky News Daily, Niall Patterson talks to Sky's chief political correspondent Jon Craig about the poll and today's developments, and to Scarlett Maguire, director of the polling organisation JL Partners.

Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts

We're winding up here for the day - the clock has gone ten and we'll be off to bed soon.

Today felt like a day that could be an inflection point in the election for a number of reasons.

We had big announcements from numerous parties, and a megapoll predicting a historic result.

If you want a fuller rundown, here is today's main news:

• A YouGov poll predicted Labour will win a supermajority of 194 seats - with the Conservatives routed to just 140 MPs;
• Tory ministers are among those who could lose their seat - including the defence secretary, Grant Shapps, who hung up on our deputy political editor Sam Coates when he was told live on air;
• As chief political correspondentJon Craig writes, panic will be spread through Tory ranks;
• Meanwhile, Sky election analyst Professor Michael Thrasher said Rishi Sunak has 31 days to save the Conservative Party;
• Twelve big Conservative beasts face losing their seats - andpolitical correspondentTamara Cohenhas a despatch from one such constituency.
  

• Just before this poll was published, Nigel Farage announced he was standing to be an MP for Reform UK - U-turning on his previous stance of not contesting;
• As political correspondent Rob Powell says, Mr Farage doesn't just have his eye on this election but the years ahead;
• Andpolitical correspondent Gurpreet Narwansays the news will send shivers down Tory spines;
• This morning, Labourwas pitching itself as the "party of defence" as it pledged to build new nuclear submarines;
  
• And the Conservatives were campaigning on reforming the Equalities Act, including wanting to protect single sex toilets;
• Equalities minister Kemi Badenoch also said trans athletes may have to compete with their biological sex;
• In slightly lighter news, the prime minister revealed his preferred Nando's order - with a surprise inclusion in the sides.

• Elsewhere, the SNP said there was no need for the UK to have a nuclear deterrent, in response to the Labour announcement;
• The Liberal Democrats sabotaged Rishi Sunak as he held a campaign event;
• Meanwhile, political correspondent Serena Barker-Singh outlined the difficulties facing Sir Keir Starmer over Jeremy Corbyn.

Here are a couple of other stories that may interest you:

Our essential political podcast,Politics At Jack And Sam's, is going out every week day through the election campaign to bring a short burst of everything you need to know about the day ahead as this election unfolds - here is today's edition.

Tap here to follow Politics At Jack At Sam's wherever you get your podcasts.

Today's poll suggests that in the Conservative heartlands, voters are about to turn on the governing party like never before, Tarama Cohen writes from Godalming, Surrey.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is running in Godalming and Ash, one of the country's most affluent areas.

Conservative since its creation, Mr Hunt's majority - on different boundaries - was down to 8,817 at tzhe 2019 election, ahead of the Liberal Democrats. YouGov's seat by seat poll predicts it could be overturned altogether.

It could be a significant moment of election night - compared with cabinet minister Michael Portillo losing his seat in 1997.

Mortgage rates are a key issue for many voters in this commuter town, and switchers were not hard to find.

Sam and Fi Hayward, who have three children under five, previously voted Conservative but will now back the Lib Dems.

Finance worker Sam - who's natural home is with Conservatives - will be changing who he backs, saying "different issues on our radar now we have a young family".

He is also unimpressed with the government's performance, putting it down to "general incompetence, Brexit hasn't gone their way, COVID hasn't helped".

Fi is also switching, saying "I think it would be better for our family".

At the Godalming Delights sweet shop, new mum Felicity is also switching away from the Tories.

"We're living on savings to pay a massive mortgage", she said, and they've taken their older child out of nursery due to the costs.

Retired teacher Jean said the impact of COVID is still on her mind - including a friend who died "while [politicians] were partying".

She's also concerned about children's mental health, a subject the Lib Dems are campaigning on.

But there was still support for the Conservatives here - and lack of enthusiasm for the alternative.

Retired railway worker Robert Jones said: "I like Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak. I like his apprenticeship scheme, my children's children need a job and all our heavy industries are going."

He was not impressed with the National Service idea - and does worry about Labour.

"Diane Abbott was in, and now she's out. The left always worry me, and the unions - although I was a union man for years - having their sway," he says.

Some voters felt Mr Hunt personally had worked hard as an MP. "He's moderate, and I'm a moderate", said Tory party member David Cooper.

But he was worried about a severe defeat.

This corner of southwest Surrey, a constituency held by former cabinet minister Virginia Bottomley and now the chancellor, has never deserted the Tories, even at the height of New Labour.

If the tide turns here on election night, it will be a sign the once unshakeable Blue Wall is really tumbling down.

The candidates for Godalming and Ash are:

• Graham Drage, Reform UK;
• Paul Follows, Liberal Democrats;
• Jeremy Hunt, Conservatives;
• James Walsh, Labour;
• Steve Williams, Greens.